H5N1 Strikes More Poultry Flocks in 3 States

Feb 06, 2025

By Lisa Schnirring

Federal officials today confirmed more H5N1 avian flu outbreaks in poultry in three states, with commercial farms in Missouri especially hard hit.

According to the latest updates from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the virus was confirmed at five farms in Missouri, all of them commercial facilities.

Affected premises include a layer farm in Newton County that has nearly 1.15 million birds. Other producers include a turkey farm in Newton County, a broiler breeder farm in McDonald County, and three turkey farms in three different counties.

Over the past 30 days, the virus has led to the loss of nearly 4.3 million poultry in Missouri.

Outbreaks in California, Oregon

In other poultry developments, APHIS confirmed the virus on a commercial turkey farm in California's San Joaquin County that has 22,200 birds and in a backyard flock of 8 birds in Oregon's Klamath County.

APHIS testing also confirmed H5N1 in one more dairy cow herd, another in California, raising the national total to 957 and California's total to 736.

Source : umn.edu

Video: Five Confirmed New World Screwworm Cases Raise Alarm for Livestock and Pet Owners

Pat Hoffmann, Swine Technical Consultant at Elanco Animal Health tells us about the impact of New World Screwworm. The emergence of New World screwworm in the U.S. creates a threat for veterinarians, livestock producers and pet owners that has not been seen north of the Florida Keys since the fly was eradicated from the United States more than 50 years ago. New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) larvae feed on living tissue and can affect a wide range of warm-blooded animals, including livestock, companion animals, wildlife, and even humans.
“New World screwworm could have a devastating impact on animal health, welfare, and producer livelihoods,” said Jeff Simmons, President and CEO, Elanco Animal Health. “We want to thank the FDA, EPA and USDA, for all their work to prepare for this threat. We’re committed to supporting our customers during this challenging time by delivering innovation, scientific expertise, and available resources to help treat New World screwworm and support the health and well-being of animals.”
Elanco is working alongside the U.S. animal health industry to help them fight against this parasite, offering a portfolio of options for pets and livestock that can help treat New World screwworm larvae infestations.